James Butler

A NHS trust which cares for mental health patients in the county is pushing ahead with £2.8m plans for single sex wards at all its sites.

The plans were started in 2015, when a Care Quality Commission inspection said that Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s facilities were not meeting the national standards for mixed-sex accomodation.

At a meeting at the trust’s headquarters in Swandean, Worthing, directors discussed the plans to convert existing wards at an estimated cost of £2.8m – £1m over the budget.

Almost £2m of this estimate would be used to refurbish the Promenade ward for substance abuse patients at Mill View Hospital in Hove.

Concerns raised included patients having to travel further for treatment and how to manage an overflow of male or female patients.

Director Richard Bayley said it was ‘helpful to see that progress is being made’ and called for an ongoing review of the impact on patients.

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